VIAVI Solutions has launched Vertex 6.0, an enhanced channel emulation platform designed to support testing for next-generation 6G and Wi-Fi 7/8 technologies.
The company says Vertex 6.0 is the industry’s first channel emulator to natively support newly defined 6G waveform requirements. It offers 400 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth and supports carrier frequencies of up to 23.6 GHz, exceeding the bandwidth requirements of Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 8.
The new platform expands VIAVI’s wireless testing portfolio by bringing real-world RF propagation conditions into the laboratory. It complements the company’s TM500 network emulation platform and TeraVM application and security validation solutions.
Vertex 6.0 is the first Vertex upgrade introduced after VIAVI completed its acquisition of Spirent Communications plc’s high-speed Ethernet, network security and channel emulation testing business.
Available as field-replaceable RF modules, Vertex 6.0 integrates with existing 6U Vertex chassis. The platform builds on the previous generation’s 5G FR1 and FR2 capabilities, while adding support for complex cellular, Wi-Fi, military and aerospace RF technologies.
When combined with VIAVI’s FR3 MIMO converter and ray-tracing capabilities with Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), Vertex 6.0 can function as a digital twin for RF propagation. This enables testing across applications such as FR3, Wi-Fi 7, AI-RAN and ISAC.
Each 6U Vertex chassis supports up to 36 RF ports, 256 digital links and 1.6 GHz of total bandwidth. For cellular applications, the platform supports FR3 bands with bandwidth of up to 1 GHz to address the expanding requirements of 6G networks. It also supports multiuser MIMO with phase alignment, along with both time-division duplexing (TDD) and frequency-division duplexing (FDD) modes.
For Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 8 testing, Vertex 6.0 provides native support for 320 MHz channels and 4096-QAM, with configurations ranging from 2×2 to 8×8.
The channel emulator also supports land-to-land, land-to-air and air-to-air transmission scenarios. Its capabilities extend to anechoic and reverberation OTA chambers, as well as non-terrestrial networks (NTN), including LEO, MEO and GEO satellite systems. Additional supported applications include mesh, drone and ISAC networks.
Leadership Comment
“As wireless technologies become more complex, late-stage issues can present significant risks. Engineers need test environments that can accurately replicate real-world conditions and validate performance from the earliest stages of development,” said Ian Langley, Senior Vice President, Wireless, Security and Applications Business Unit, VIAVI. “Vertex has been the platform of choice for the world’s leading chipset, device and network equipment manufacturers for over a decade, and Vertex 6.0 brings the next leap in capabilities that address the requirements of complex cellular, Wi-Fi and other specialized topologies.”
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